Prisoners of Gravity
Season 3
Prisoners of Gravity was a Canadian public broadcasting television news magazine program that explored speculative fiction — science fiction, fantasy, horror, comic books — and its relation to various thematic and social issues. Produced by TVOntario, the show was the brainchild of former comic retail manager Mark Askwith and writer Daniel Richler, and was hosted by Rick Green. The series aired 139 episodes over 5 seasons from 1989 to 1994.
Where to Watch Season 3
30 Episodes
- Alternate HistoriesE2
Alternate Histories1991 Commander Rick looks at alternate histories -- what might have been had certain historical events been altered -- with speculative fiction writers George Alec Effinger (Everything But Honor), Gregory Benford (editor, What Might Have Been), Paul Di Filippo (Ciphers), Kim Stanley Robinson (Remaking History), Terry Bisson (Fire on the Mountain), William Gibson and Bruce Sterling (co-authors, The Difference Engine), Alternate Presidents anthology editor Mike Resnick and contributor Martha Soukup, plus Neil Gaiman (writer, DC Comics' The Sandman). - ReligionE3
ReligionCommander Rick looks at the role of religion in science fiction and comics with writers Neil Gaiman (The Sandman), James Morrow (Only Begotten Daughter), Clive Barker (Imajica), Spider Robinson ("God is an Iron"), Connie Willis (Fire Watch), George Alec Effinger (When Gravity Fails), Douglas Adams (The Hitch Hikers' Guide to the Galaxy), and Nancy Kress (Brain Rose), with Neal Adams (artist, Green Lantern/Green Arrow), Dan Raspler (editor, The Demon), Keith Giffen (writer/artist, The Legion of Super-Heroes), and Rick Taylor (writer/artist, The Synergist) from the world of comics. - AddictionsE4
AddictionsCommander Rick looks at how drug and alcohol addictions have been represented in science fiction and comics, as well as their effects on creators. Featuring a special look at the Spider-Man anti-drugs comics being issued by Marvel Comics, the Addiction Research Foundation and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, with the ARF's Henry Schankula and project initiator Eric Conroy. Other guests include Steve Bissette (publisher, Taboo), comic creators Denny O'Neil (writer, Green Lantern/Green Arrow), Neal Adams (artist, Green Lantern/Green Arrow), and writers James Patrick Kelly ("Rat"), Gregory Benford ("Doing Lennon"), Spider Robinson (Mindkiller), Larry Niven (Playgrounds of the Mind), Pat Cadigan (Synners), and William Gibson (Mona Lisa Overdrive). - ChildrenE8
ChildrenCommander Rick's guests include SF reviewer John Clute, Kristine Kathryn Rusch (editor, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction), and speculative fiction writers Pat Cadigan (Synners), Esther Friesner (Harpy High), Mercedes Lackey (Bardic Voices), Robert Holdstock (The Bone Forest), and Gwyneth Jones, who writes young adult fiction as Ann Halam. With award-winning YA authors Jane Yolen (Wizard's Hall), and Canada's own Monica Hughes (Crisis on Conshelf Ten). - New WorldsE10
New WorldsThis fall sees the relaunch of New Worlds, the ground-breaking British science fiction digest which introduced such "new wave" writers as J.G. Ballard to North American readers in the 1960s. Rick interviews British writers M. John Harrison and Brian Aldiss, current New Worlds contributors Storm Constantine and Ian McDonald, past editor Michael Moorcock, and David Garnett, current editor of the series. Featuring SF editor Judith Merril, who introduced the new wave to North American readers with her anthology, England Swings SF. - JusticeE11
JusticeRick looks at retribution, revenge, vigilantism and the impact of technology on justice. Featuring comic book creators Keith Giffen (writer, The Justice League), Neal Adams (artist, Batman), Denny O'Neil (writer, Batman), and artist Simon Bisley and writer Alan Grant, collaborators on Judgement at Gotham City, the Batman/Judge Dredd team-up, with speculative fiction authors Terence M. Green (Barking Dogs), Charles de Lint (The Dreaming Place) and Mercedes Lackey (The Serrated Edge series), B-movie expert Julian Grant of Sinister Cinema, and actors Michael Dorn (Worf, Star Trek: The Next Generation) and Walter Koenig (Chekov, Star Trek). - Cosmic CavalcadeE12
Cosmic CavalcadeCommander Rick's holiday show, featuring upcoming projects in the worlds of speculative fiction and comics, including: Alan Moore and Oscar Zarate's A Small Killing; Dave McKean's Cages; Stephen Baxter's Raft; computer hacker detector Clifford Stoll (The Cuckoo's Egg); splatterpunk vampire author Nancy A. Collins talking about In The Blood; new computer software; and comic book artist Alan Grant discussing Lobo's Christmas special. Rick invites viewers to send him their nominations for The Ricky's, his awards for the best in SF, fantasy and comics for 1991, with the winners to be announced in April 1992. - CyberpunkE14
CyberpunkFeaturing Vancouver author William Gibson, whose novel Neuromancer is widely credited with inspiring the cyberpunk movement; Bruce Sterling, editor of cyberpunk anthology Mirrorshades; SF writers Pat Cadigan, Connie Willis and Lewis Shiner (whose "Confessions of an ex-cyberpunk" was published in The New York Times last year); and Omni fiction editor Ellen Datlow, who first published Gibson. - DeathE16
DeathA life-affirming look at how death is represented in speculative fiction, featuring: Douglas Adams on death and humour in the Hitch Hikers series; Batman editor Denny O'Neil on the death of Robin; Robert Holdstock on Mythago Wood; Christopher Fowler on death in horror fiction; Alberto Manguel on Edgar Allan Poe; Edward Bryant on his story "Particle Theory"; with SF writers Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Brian Stableford, Kim Newman, Swamp Thing writer Alan Moore and artist Steve Bissette, and the music video for "Superman's Song" by Winnipeg's Crash Test Dummies. - VampiresE17
VampiresWith acclaimed horror author Nancy Collins (Sunglasses After Dark); vampire anthologist Ellen Datlow (A Whisper of Blood); Jewelle Gomez (The Gilda Stories), who writes about lesbian vampires of colour; Canadian writers Tanya Huff (Blood Trail) and Garfield Reeves-Stevens (Bloodshift); fan extraordinaire Forrest J. Ackerman, creator of the comic character Vampirella, and Gene Colan, artist of Marvel Comics' The Tomb of Dracula. With Sinister Cinema's Julian Grant and his B-movie vampires. - AnimationE18
AnimationCommander Rick's guests include Steve Bingham, founder of Canada's acclaimed Alias Research, which developed the special effects software for Terminator 2; Sheridan College's animation program; Calibre Digital Design, the Brampton-based creators of such animation as the commercial inserts for the Beetlejuice animated series. Featuring the Michael Jackson video, Black or White, and a look at the National Film Board of Canada's contribution to animation. - PoliticsE19
PoliticsPolitics in science fiction, fantasy and comic books, featuring: comic book writer Alan Moore and artist David Lloyd discussing V For Vendetta, with magazine editors Gardner Dozois (Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine) and Ellen Datlow (Omni Magazine); and speculative fiction writers Geoff Ryman (The Child Garden); David Wingrove (the Chung Kuo series); and Lewis Shiner (Frontera). - MetamorphosisE23
MetamorphosisFeaturing Swamp Thing writer Alan Moore and artist Steve Bissette; British author M. John Harrison and artist Ian Miller discussing their new graphic novel, The Luck in the Head; cyberpunk writer Bruce Sterling; Canadian fantasy author Charles de Lint; British authors Geoff Ryman (The Child Garden) and Kim Newman (co-editor, Horror: The 100 Best Books). Rick discusses cinematic metamorphosis with Industrial Light and Magic animator Steve Williams, Animation Supervisor for Terminator 2; Canadian film director David Cronenberg (Scanners; The Fly; Naked Lunch); and B-movie werewolves from Sinister Cinema, with the company's Canadian distributor Julian Grant. - MarsE24
MarsCommander Rick examines our fascination with Mars, featuring science fiction authors Robert J. Sawyer (End of an Era); Colin Greenland (Take Back Plenty); Terry Bisson (Voyage to the Red Planet); Kim Newman ("Famous Monsters"); Kim Stanley Robinson ("Green Mars"); Ian McDonald (Desolation Road); Michael Moorcock ("Mars"); and acclaimed SF writer Ray Bradbury, discussing his award-winning collection of short stories, The Martian Chronicles. Rick also discusses Canada's role in the space race to Mars, with Canadian Solar Sail Project director, Steve Horvath. - New FacesE25
New FacesCommander Rick profiles 6 young creators to watch out for: American science fiction writer Roger MacBride Allen (Orphan of Creation); British horror author Christopher Fowler (Roofworld); British science fiction author Gwyneth Jones (Divine Endurance); comic book writer James Robinson (The Golden Age); Canadian comic book artist/writer Seth (Palookaville); and American science fiction writer Martha Soukup, discussing her 1992 Nebula Award-nominated short story, "Dog's Life". - CensorshipE26
CensorshipCommander Rick examines the censoring of and censorship in comics and speculative fiction, with his guests: science fiction author Connie Willis discussing her short story "Ado"; fantasy author Jane Yolen; SF writer George Alec Effinger (What Entropy Means to Me); Pamela Sargent, editor of SF anthology Afterlives; Canadian film director David Cronenberg (Naked Lunch); Paul Stockton of the Comic Legends Legal Defence Fund; DC Comics editor Karen Berger; and disabled cartoonist John Callahan, whose refusal to make his controversial cartoons "politically correct" won him a Freedom of Expression award from the American Civil Liberties Union. - EcologyE29
EcologyInspired by Earth Day on April 22, Rick looks at ecology in comics and science fiction with Green Lantern/Green Arrow writer Denny O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, Swamp Thing writer Alan Moore, and authors John Brunner (The Sheep Look Up), Nancy Kress (Brain Rose), Kim Newman (co-editor, Horror: 100 Best Books), Larry Niven (co-author, Fallen Angels), Bruce Sterling (Schismatrix), and dinosaur illustrator William Stout. - Awards/RickiesE30
Awards/RickiesCommander Rick announces the results of the Rickies, his contest for the best of 1991, featuring authors Clive Barker (Imajica), Gregory Benford (Beyond the Fall of Night), Lois McMaster Bujold (Barrayar), Neil Gaiman (co-author, Good Omens), Tanya Huff (Blood Price), Nancy Kress (Brain Rose), James Morrow (Daughter Earth), Garfield Reeves-Stevens (Dark Matter), and comic book creators Will Eisner (To the Heart of the Storm), Alan Moore (Watchmen) and Neil Gaiman, once again, for The Sandman.
